Hungary shuts down Paks nuclear power plant as Danube water levels fall

Why the Danube matters for Paks

The Danube, which feeds Paks's cooling circuits, has been falling for weeks amid a sustained drought across Central Europe. Hydrologists have noted that water levels on the river have dropped well below seasonal averages, straining not only power generation but also inland shipping, agriculture, and drinking-water supply along the river basin.

The Bundesanstalt für Gewässerkunde, Germany's federal hydrology institute, has been tracking low water on the Danube and other Central European rivers. Comparable measurements on the Rhine near Cologne have underlined how widespread the dry conditions have become, with shipping and energy producers along both rivers reporting disruption.

Impact on Hungary's energy supply

Hungary's energy mix is heavily dependent on Paks, which historically supplies a large share of the country's electricity. The unplanned shutdown is expected to increase pressure on the grid, requiring greater use of fossil-fuel backup plants and, where possible, electricity imports from neighbouring countries. Household supplies are not immediately at risk, but industrial users may face higher costs.

The political dimension is hard to miss. Peter Magyar, whose name has figured prominently in recent reporting about Hungarian affairs, has publicly criticised the government's handling of the water crisis and energy policy. Magyar's appearances at demonstrations and in media coverage have made him a focal point for debate over how prepared Hungary is for climate-driven infrastructure shocks.

Political fallout and Magyar's criticism

Officials in Budapest urged calm and said the plant would be restarted as soon as water conditions allowed. They declined to give a firm timeline, noting that restarting a reactor of this size requires a careful, step-by-step process and confirmation from regulators that cooling capacity is fully restored.

Beyond energy, the shutdown has knock-on effects. With less nuclear output available, Hungary is likely to burn more natural gas and lignite in the short term, raising both costs and emissions. Neighbouring grids in Slovakia and Austria, which are also affected by low river levels, may have limited spare capacity to export.

Calls for a more resilient power mix

Environmental groups have used the shutdown to renew calls for diversification of Hungary's power supply and for investment in cooling technologies that use less water. They argue that climate change will make low-flow events on the Danube more frequent and that Paks-style reactors are particularly exposed because of their reliance on large volumes of river water.

The Bavarian broadcaster's news round-up also reported other items, including Germany's foreign minister Johann Wadephul describing Ceuta as a successful stress test, the United States pausing attacks on Iran, German Interior Minister Alexander Frei announcing tougher laws on dangerous individuals, authorities in Moscow calling an explosion an attack, continued wildfires in Greece, the deaths of two Germans in a plane crash in Peru, and changeable weather in Bavaria with sunshine, cloud, showers, and thunderstorms later in the day.